25 July 2008
Working Territory Tight
Posted by admin under: Marketing Tips; Sales Territory; Sales Tips; Soft Sell; Uncategorized .
“No, we don’t know them”.
“No never heard of them”.
“Nope, the Thompsons and Griswolds don’t sound familiar?” “Now, what are you selling?”
“Oh My!”
Names that had opened doors of families with kids at O’ Henry Middle School, and Austin High no longer opened doors. And not only that, people weren’t as friendly, in fact, they were down right ornery.
But wait, these people live in the same town, work at some of the same places. You know kids. If it’s not in their life, you don’t hear about it.
Anyway, what I’d realized is that I had changed the school districts, the territories as I had moved through town that summer selling books. I had simply run out of names. I was defenseless to find commonality which killed my receptivity. Without names of customers my new prospects knew, I’d lost my attractiveness, lost intrigue, lost that build up of interest; I was a common salesman. A probable bother and time-waster, peddling books my family would never use and essentially a waste of money. That’s how names that no longer worked changed everything. Changing territory was hell, at first.
In America, everything one consumes includes in its price commissions, concessions, discounts, and costs of doing business.
Anyway, my days of hanging with people who were enjoying my presence, doing business with me, appreciating my being, my low pressure attitude, and my energy changed as I changed territories. From an ego gratifying pleasure to an uncomfortable daunting awareness that I’d entered hostile territory.
Ugh. Prepare your psyche for some abuse. Prepare to psyche yourself up to prove yourself, to earn respect, to gain confidence in this new territory.
One Saturdays, I would take two weeks of past customers (30 demonstrations X 14 days) and return to bask in the comfort of the names accumulated over several weeks of concentrated efforts and personal relationships (friends). Those Saturdays were called “Gravy Days” because I would routinely sell a high percentage like double or triple as many books as weekdays. And a few Saturdays where my closing ratio of presentations was 70-80% instead of the more typical 10-20%. What made the difference? Having names that worked unrecognized names for the new territory where I was no longer referred. I was cold calling. I was groveling or at least I felt like that at the time.
The day was more grueling when I was not referred. Isn’t that the way it’s always been? Don’t we want to know if there’s anyone we know in common? And if so, isn’t bonding more rapid? Antagonism lowered, and attractiveness enhanced.
Hmm. Wonder if there’s a lesson here?
A study about happiness was featured on a major newscast. The Finish people were the happiest according to the report for these major reasons:
Even though taxed rather heavily at 65%, the Finns enjoyed free education and medical care, were homogenous as a species, had social community, and felt known and liked as part of a loving community. Hmm, sounds like working territory tight.
Boy, that sounds good, doesn’t it? Cubans I met on a trip there once taxed heavily, also enjoyed free education and medical care. For this benefit they chose (Cubans don’t choose, but probably would).
What I’m getting at in my round about way is happiness is greatly increased if we build relationships and communities of our own wherever we go. And the better we operate from within thee communities and inter-woven friendships, the better the chance for business success and genuine happiness.
So work your community, your territory tight. Make sure you have squeezed every positive bit of energy out of your own personal momentum Because, changing territories can, at least initially be a challenge socially and financially.
A book we were expected to read in sales school was Acres of Diamonds. More a pamphlet than a book, perfect for the mind of a 20 year old .with attention deficit disorder.
The story of a man who sold his farm in search of . As he approached the possibility of dying penniless, find “Acres of Diamonds” were discovered under the very he sold to go off in search of riches . The lesson, of course, is working your territory tight, and not leaving the farm too soon. And Acres of Diamonds taught me to appreciate what is seen and not seen (underground).
What acres of diamonds may lie at your feet? More likely the answer is in working the territory tightly. Is there an effort or energy there worth protecting and saving? Just know that new territory requires a more concentrated effort, especially at first.
So, how can you work your territory close? I made a habit of asking for a referral (does the family next door have kids your kids’ age?) that way, with 30 presentations a day I was also trying to find additional interest in the same territory. I knew that if I chose to leave that territory, I would be in for some tougher work weeks. So, be sure to ask for a referral at every sales opportunity. You know you don’t do it. So test the idea yourself in the next ten presentations and see. Maybe you’ll learn another lesson.
I observed this in 10,000+ situations. Or among 25 + demonstrations a day 6 days a week 11 weeks a summer, the 7 over the seven summers I worked. So when I share sales experience, it’s from an intense beginning with more sales situations than probably any other person you know, and then followed by thirty years of Real Estate experience.
I often wonder if the authors of many of the sales books ever sold anything, unlike the book you are holding.
I may not have the literary skills of a professional writer. However, one thing I do have is the experience that, if tested, will help you, or my sons and daughter, to not only succeed in sales and help you enjoy life more, too.
Find the acres of diamonds under your feet by working your territory tightly and enjoying the fruits of the relationships you have already developed, and that will pave the way to softer selling.
One Comment so far...
John Says:
25 July 2008 at 8:24 pm.
Great post. What acres of diamonds are you sitting on at work or at home you might already have and are venturing off to find through your travels?
Also, a good thing to think about is nurture those diamonds the right way to make it seem relationship first, business second. That is what I as a salesmen is struggling with. Treating customers like friends and giving advice about my company “if it makes sense”.
I look forward to the next post.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.